Russian government employee deported from Moldova

Earlier, Russian scientists and journalists were denied entry to the ex-Soviet republic

Tiraspol, Transniestria

TIRASPOL, June 1. /TASS/. Deputy Head of the Russian Government’s Analytical Center Gleb Pokatovich has been deported from Moldova, the Foreign Ministry of the self-proclaimed Transniestrian Republic reported on Thursday.

"Pokatovich was detained this morning upon arrival in the Chisinau airport by law-enforcers of the Republic of Moldova and deported," the ministry said in a statement.

The visit was planned as part of interaction between Transniestria and Russia in financial-economic audit, the statement reads.

This is not the first instance of a ban on Russians to enter Moldova. Earlier, Russian scientists and journalists were denied entry to the ex-Soviet republic.

"This incident has become a new destructive manifestation testifying to the absence of the Moldovan side’s real readiness to build reasonable constructive relations with Transniestria," the Transniestrian Foreign Ministry said.

"We qualify this as the continuation of the Republic of Moldova’s hostile strategy for the total restriction of Transniestria’s international contacts," the statement said.

TASS has not yet found confirmation of the detention with the Moldovan border police as June 1 has been announced as a day-off in Moldova.